What's the best iOS app for letting kids safely message their friends?

Messenger Kids is designed specifically for children to communicate with friends and family in a supervised environment. Parents maintain full control through a separate parent dashboard where they can approve contacts, monitor conversations, and manage settings. The app includes video calling, messaging, and interactive games like Nugget Hero and Hotdog Hero that keep young users engaged. During remote learning periods and social distancing, many families found it invaluable for maintaining peer connections. Interface variations between devices sometimes confuse young users, though functionality remains consistent. Some reviews mention occasional call connectivity issues where calls unexpectedly drop, and minor bugs in certain games can frustrate competitive siblings. Despite these small imperfections, the app successfully balances safety with engaging features that children enjoy using.